[78-L] "Folk" music...?!

[Steven C. Barr]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Margaret Still" <mgstill at bellsouth.net>
> I thought most RECORDED music was for-profit and "popular" music, 
> including
> early hillbilly and country blues.
>
True! This is presumably because record companies are (Or at least they HOPE
to be?!) profit-making operations...which in turn means that they record(ed)
material which they knew/expected/hoped would sell in profit-making numbers!

OTOH...ACTUAL (I call this "small-f") folk music was being performed
regularly whenever people gathered together socially! As recently as thirty
years ago (+/-), my then-wife (who was a talented singer) and myself (I am
pretty good!) used to start impromptu "sing-alongs" at various gatherings;
it was interesting to note how many other folks enthusiastically joined in!
Back in 1971...when I was doing "Europe On $5 a Week"...I had the
chance to visit a London pub...which had a resident pianist and a LARGE
group of enthusiastic singers-along! (this seems to have been a traditional
activity at UK pubs, predating the ready availability of recorded music?!)!

I think the whole idea of "true anateur" singing has all but disappeared...
people simply CANNOT match the carefully-digitally-edited "music"
heard to-day...?!

Steven C. Barr